Transfer device

ABSTRACT

Provided is a transfer device capable of maintaining a constant tension of band-shaped ribbon from the start till the end of operation requiring no action by a user. While band-shaped ribbon (F) is being supplied, a feed shaft unit ( 4 ) and a feed drive gear ( 3 ) rotate. In accordance with their rotations, a movable plate ( 6 ) screw-retreats so that the interval between the movable plate ( 6 ) and the surface of the feed drive gear ( 3 ) is increased in the axial direction. Consequently, the force of a coil spring ( 5 ) is reduced and the braking force (a force to press the surface of the feed drive gear ( 3 ) to stop its rotation) is gradually decreased.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a transfer device maintaining aconstant tension of band-shaped ribbon from the beginning till the endof operation.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

[0002] Recently, a transfer device for transferring a coating film ontoa transfer-receiving object such as paper has been widely used becauseof its advantageous feature of easy handling for supplying an adequateamount as a replacement for touch-up liquid and liquid paste. A transferdevice applying a white correction film for touch-up makes a correctionby transferring the correction film onto a correction point of atransfer-receiving object. A transfer device employing an adhesive filmfor adhesively connects the transfer-receiving object and an attachmentsubstance fixes the attachment substance to the adhesive filmtransferred onto the transfer-receiving object.

[0003] Both types of the above-described transfer devices have similarstructures except for the coating film used which is adhesive or white.More specifically, such a transfer device includes a feed shaft unit, aroll up shaft unit and a transfer unit within a casing. The feed shaftunit rotates to supply band-shaped ribbon coated with a coating film.The roll up shaft unit rotates to wind up the band-shaped ribbon aftertransferring the coating film onto a transfer-receiving object.

[0004] The roll up shaft unit and the feed shaft unit engage with eachother by means of, for example, gears, and thus the roll up shaft unitrotates in accordance with the revolution of the feed shaft unit whilethe band-shaped ribbon is being supplied. The transfer unit is disposedprojecting from an opening formed at an end of the casing. The transferunit pulls out the band-shaped ribbon coated with coating film from thefeed shaft unit, transfers the coating film onto the transfer-receivingobject, and then sends the band-shaped ribbon to the roll up shaft unit.

[0005] In the transfer device of this type, malfunction occurs if thetension of the band-shaped ribbon in the region between the feed shaftunit and the roll up shaft unit (hereinafter referred to as “tension”)is too high or too low. More specifically, when the tension is too low,the band-shaped ribbon may be loosened and the feed shaft unit may failto rotate engagedly with the roll up shaft unit. Reversely, when thetension is too high, an additional force is required for supplying orwinding up the band-shaped ribbon (hereinafter referred to as“traveling”) is required and in an extreme case the band-shaped ribbonis broken up.

[0006] To cope with this problem, the feeding rotation of the feed shaftunit in a typical transfer device is loaded so as to prevent at leastextreme lowering of the tension (hereinafter referred to as “brakingforce”). This method, however, has a following drawback, as the brakingforce is kept constant from the beginning till the end of operation.

[0007] At the initial period of operation, the traveling is smooth asthe rolling diameter of the feed shaft unit is large. At the end ofoperation, however, the tension of the band-shaped ribbon is highercompared with the standard tension during the normal traveling at thestart, since the roll diameter of the feed shaft unit becomes smaller atthe end than the roll diameter of the feed shaft unit at the start,which makes the traveling to be heavy.

[0008] Such a tension fluctuation of the band-shaped ribbon from thebeginning till the end of operation deteriorates the maneuverability ofthe transfer device for the user, making handling of the device to bedifficult. Thus, it is required to maintain a constant tension of theband-shaped ribbon from the beginning till the end of operation forimproving the maneuverability.

[0009] An example of a transfer device in which the tension of theband-shaped ribbon is kept constant has been proposed in Japaneselaid-open patent publication No. 9-71097, having the followingstructure. A supply reel collar (feed shaft unit) having an L-shapedsection is disposed on an upper surface of a supply gear opposite to thegear in the direction of the shaft center. A spring is wound around theshaft center of the supply gear within the space between the L-shapedsection of the supply reel collar and the shaft center of the gear.

[0010] A pressing plate is fittingly provided around the shaft center ofthe supply gear to contact with the spring at the side opposite to theside at which the spring contacts with the supply gear and to slidealong the shaft center of the supply gear. Further, a female screw isformed at the upper inside of the shaft center of the supply gear, intowhich screw a variable button is threaded.

[0011] According to the structure of the transfer device disclosed inabove Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 9-71097, the useradjusts the tension of the band-shaped ribbon by screwing the variablebutton into and out of the shaft center of the supply gear appropriatelyand arbitrarily. In other words, the user alters the interval betweenthe pressing plate and the supply gear by operating the variable buttonduring use.

[0012] When the interval is decreased by controlling the variablebutton, the supply reel collar is allowed to press the surface of thesupply gear by the force of the spring. The braking force issimultaneously applied to the rotation of the supply reel collar. Whenthe interval is increased by operating the variable button, the abovebraking force is reduced leaving a predetermined amount of the springforce applied.

[0013] However, according to the structure of Japanese laid-open patentpublication No. 9-71097 described as above in which the tension of theband-shaped ribbon can be varied, the user is required to manipulate thevariable button appropriately, which requirement forced on the userdeteriorates the convenient feature of the transfer device. Moreover,since the user is not particularly conscious of the relationship betweenthe amount of use and the tension of the band-shaped ribbon, it isextremely difficult to actually keep the tension of the band-shapedribbon constant.

[0014] The object of the present invention is to solve the aboveproblem, providing a transfer device capable of maintaining a constanttension of a band-shaped ribbon from the beginning till the end ofoperation requiring no action by a user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The transfer device of the present invention can be embodied byconstructing it in the following manner. A feed shaft and a roll upshaft are provided inside a casing. A feed drive gear is supported onthe feed shaft. A feed shaft unit around which band-shaped ribbon coatedwith coating film is wound is supported on the outer periphery of theaxially extended portion of the feed drive gear which is coaxial withthe feed shaft. Similarly, a roll up drive gear mating with the abovefeed drive gear is supported on the roll up shaft. A roll up shaft unitwhich winds up the band-shaped ribbon after transferring coating filmonto a transfer-receiving object is supported on the outer periphery ofthe axially extended portion of the roll up drive gear which is coaxialwith the roll up shaft.

[0016] In a structure as an example, the feed shaft unit and the feeddrive gear are formed integrally, and a screw-shaped advance/retreatportion, for example, is formed on the inner periphery of a portion ofthe feed drive gear which portion extends axially along the feed shaft.A coil spring having a spring force in the axial expanding direction isfittingly provided between, for example, the outer periphery of the feeddrive gear and the inner periphery of the feed shaft unit. The coilspring is compressed by a movable plate which can be screwed into theabove advance/retreat portion.

[0017] According to the transfer device having the above structure, thesurface of the feed drive gear is pressed by the force of the spring andthus the maximum braking force is applied to the feed drive gear. Sincethe roll diameter of the feed shaft unit is large and the tension of theband-shaped ribbon is low in the initial operation period, the travelingis light. Thus, the maneuverability is not devalued even in thecondition where the maximum braking force is given to the feed drivegear.

[0018] When the band-shaped ribbon is supplied, the feed shaft unit andthe feed drive gear are rotated. The movable plate then screw-retreatsfrom the feed drive gear little by little in accordance with therotation of the feed drive gear. The interval between the movable plateand the feed drive gear is thus axially enlarged, which leads to gradualexpansion of the spring coil and lowering of its force. The reduction ofthe spring force decreases the braking force applied to the feed drivegear.

[0019] Since the roll diameter of the feed shaft unit is smaller at theend of operation than the roll diameter of the feed shaft unit at thestart, the tension of the band-shaped ribbon is high if the brakingforce is kept constant. According to the transfer device of the presentinvention, the coil spring is expanded and thus the spring force isgradually decreased at the end of operation, thereby the braking forcebeing also progressively lowered. Consequently, the tension of theband-shaped ribbon at the end of operation is not increased, but keptequal to that at the initial period. The transfer device of the presentinvention is thus capable of maintaining a constant tension of theband-shaped ribbon from the beginning till the end of operation throughthis mechanism.

[0020] Additionally, the transfer device of the present invention can beconstructed according to another following example having the abovestructure. The roll up shaft supports a roll up speed-reduction gearintegrally overlapped on the roll up drive gear. The feed shaft supportsa feed speed-reduction gear overlapped on the feed drive gear andengaged with the roll up speed-reduction gear. In this structure, theabove-described advance/retreat portion (ex. screw-shaped) may be formedin a region of any of the feed shaft unit, feed drive gear and feedspeed-reduction gear which region extends axially along the feed shaft,but preferably the advance/retreat portion is formed within the feedspeed-reduction gear, the reason of which will be described below.Herein explained is an example of a structure in which theadvance/retreat portion is provided within the feed speed-reductiongear.

[0021] The operation of the transfer device thus constructed is asfollows. The feed shaft unit and the feed drive gear rotate while theband-shaped ribbon is being supplied, and the roll up shaft unit thusrevolves by means of the roll up drive gear. The feed speed-reductiongear and the roll up speed-reduction gear simultaneously rotate whiledecreasing the rotations of the feed drive gear and the roll up drivegear. These actions of the feed speed-reduction gear and the roll upspeed-reduction gear allow the above-described braking force to belowered more slowly, which constantly provides stable handling of thetransfer device according to the present invention. It is thuspreferable to form the advance/retreat portion within the feedspeed-reduction gear.

[0022] Furthermore, the transfer device of the present invention havingthe above structure can be constructed as follows. An intermediatespeed-reduction gear is disposed between the feed speed-reduction gearand the roll up speed-reduction gear to mate with both gears. Thisstructure allows the braking force to be decreased more slowly than inthe above-described structures, and thus provides more stablemanipulation compared with the above examples.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023]FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of a transfer device of a firstembodiment according to claim 1 of the present invention, in which (a)is a plan view and (b) is a vertical section view of (a).

[0024]FIG. 2 illustrates the transfer device in use of the firstembodiment according to claim 1 of the present invention, in which (a)shows a partial enlarged vertical section view at the initial stage ofoperation, and (b) shows that view at the end of operation.

[0025]FIG. 3 illustrates a structure of a transfer device of a secondembodiment according to claim 2 of the present invention, in which (a)is a plan view and (b) is a vertical section view of (a).

[0026]FIG. 4 illustrates the transfer device in use of the secondembodiment according to claim 2 of the present invention, in which (a)shows a partial enlarged vertical section view at the initial stage ofoperation, and (b) shows that view at the end of operation.

[0027]FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a structure of a transfer device ofa third embodiment according to claim 3 of the present invention.

[0028]FIG. 6 is a plan view showing another structure of the thirdembodiment according to claim 3 of the present invention.

[0029]FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a structure of a modifiedexample of the transfer device according to claim 1 of the presentinvention.

[0030]FIG. 8 illustrates the transfer device in use of the modifiedexample according to claim 1 of the present invention, in which (a)shows a partial enlarged vertical section view at the initial stage ofoperation, and (b) shows that view at the end of operation.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0031] (First Embodiment)

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a transfer device 1 has the followingstructure according to claim 1 of the present invention. A feed shaft 2is provided within a casing 1A. The feed shaft 2 has a cylindrical shapein the lower portion viewed in FIG. 1(b) (hereinafter referred to as“feed shaft lower portion 2 a”) and has a solid prism shape in the upperportion viewed in that figure (hereinafter referred to as “feed shaftupper portion 2 b”).

[0033] A feed drive gear 3 is supported on the feed shaft lower portion2 a. The axial lower portion of the feed drive gear 3 contacts with thefeed shaft lower portion 2 a. The upper portion of the feed drive gear 3axially extends, which extending portion is positioned away from theouter periphery of the feed shaft lower portion 2 a. Further, ascrew-shaped advance/retreat portion 3A (the area shown by a bold lineis screw-shaped in the figure) is formed on the inner periphery of theabove extending portion of the feed drive gear 3 facing to the outerperiphery of the feed shaft lower portion 2 a.

[0034] The inner periphery of a feed shaft unit 4 contacts with theouter periphery of the extending portion of the feed drive gear 3. Aconcave portion 4A which is open at the upper portion is formed aroundthe shaft center within the feed shaft unit 4 adjacent to the outerperiphery thereof. Band-shaped ribbon F coated with a coating film (notshown in the figures and by a reference number) is wound around theouter periphery of the feed shaft unit 4 having the concave portion 4Aformed therein.

[0035] A coil spring 5 is compressedly inserted into the concave portion4A of the feed shaft unit 4. The coil spring 5 as compressed has aconstant force in the expanding direction. A movable plate 6 is screwedinto the advance/retreat portion 3A of the feed drive gear 3, therotation of which plate is controlled by the feed shaft upper portion 2b. The movable plate 6 has an opening 6 a through which the feed shaftupper portion 2 b is inserted. The opening 6 a has, for example, arectangular shape similarly to the shape of the feed shaft upper portion2 b.

[0036] The movable plate 6 also has a pressing portion 6 b extendingfrom the opening 6 a as its center toward the outer periphery. Thepressing portion 6 b presses the coil spring 5 to close the open upperportion of the concave portion of 4A of the feed shaft unit 4. Also, ascrew portion 6 c (shown by a bold line in the figure) is formed on theouter periphery of the axially projecting region of the movable plate 6at the side of the feed drive gear 3. The screw portion 6 c is insertedinto a space between the inner periphery of the axially extendingportion of the feed drive gear 3 and the outer periphery of the feedshaft 2 and is screw-engaged with the advance/retreat portion 3A.

[0037] Thus, the movable plate 6 is screw-engaged with the feed drivegear 3. The movable plate 6, however, does not rotate together with thefeed drive gear 3 since the opening 6 a is engaged with the feed shaftupper portion 2 b, but screw-advances and retreats in the axialdirection.

[0038] A roll up shaft 7 is provided within the casing 1A. A roll updrive gear 8 is supported on the roll up shaft 7. The roll up drive gear8 mates with the above-described feed drive gear 3. A roll up shaft unit9 is formed integrally with the upper surface of the roll up drive gear8 viewed in FIG. 1(b). The used band-shaped ribbon F after transferringthe coating film onto the transfer-receiving object is wound around theperiphery of the roll up shaft unit 9.

[0039] A transfer unit 10 is interposed between the travel distance fromthe

[0040] A. According to this embodiment, the coating film is a whitecorrection film for correcting characters and the like on thetransfer-receiving object, which film is applied to the band-shapedribbon F. Thus, the transfer unit 10 is steeple-shaped.

[0041] In operation of the transfer device 1, the transfer unit 10 ispressed on the transfer-receiving object and moved in a directionorthogonal to the feed shaft 2 and the roll up shaft 7. The band-shapedribbon F is supplied from the feed shaft unit 4, sent through thetransfer unit 10, and wound around the roll up shaft unit 9. The feeddrive gear 3 simultaneously rotates in accordance with the revolution ofthe feed shaft unit 4. The rotation of the feed drive gear 3 in turnrotates the roll up drive gear 8 engaged therewith, and accordingly theroll up shaft unit 9 rotates.

[0042] At the initial operation of the transfer device 1, the movableplate 6 is screwed into the advance/retreat portion 3A of the feed drivegear 3 to the maximum as shown in FIG. 2(a). Thus, the coil spring 5compressed under this condition applies the maximum force to the surfaceof the feed drive gear 3 from the pressing portion 6 b of the movableplate 6 as the base end through the concave portion 4A of the feed shaftunit 4. Accordingly, the maximum braking force is applied to thetransfer device 1 at the initial stage of operation.

[0043] Thereafter, when the feed drive gear 3 rotates together with thefeed shaft unit 4 by operating the transfer device 1, the screw portion6 c of the movable plate 6 screw-retreats from the advance/retreatportion 3A of the feed drive gear 3. Under this condition, the coilspring 5 pushes the movable plate 6 upward from the surface of the feeddrive gear 3 as the base end through the concave portion 4A of the feedshaft unit 4. The movable plate 6 thus moves upward along the feed shaft2.

[0044] Consequently, the spring force applied to the feed drive gear 3is decreased as the coil spring 5 is gradually expanded duringoperation. The decrease in the force of the coil spring 5 in turn lowersthe braking force given to the surface of the feed drive gear 3. Thetension of the band-shaped ribbon F is thus reduced under thiscondition.

[0045] At the end period of operation, the roll diameter of theband-shaped ribbon F around the feed shaft unit 4 is smaller than theroll diameter at the starting period. Thus, the traveling is heavier andthe tension applied to the band-shaped ribbon F is higher if the brakingforce is kept constant as in a prior-art transfer device. According tothe transfer device 1 of the present invention, however, the brakingforce at the end of operation is lower than that force at the start ofoperation, and thus the tension applied to the band-shaped ribbon F isnot increased.

[0046] As aforementioned, according to the transfer device 1 of thepresent invention, the tension of the band-shaped ribbon F is graduallydecreased during use requiring no adjustment by the user. Thus, thetransfer device 1 of the present invention maintains a constant tensionof the band-shaped ribbon F from the start till the end of operation,thereby providing enhanced maneuverability.

[0047] (Second Embodiment)

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a transfer device 11 has a followingstructure in accordance with claim 2 of the present invention. Explainedherein are only the different points between the structure of thetransfer device 11 and that of the transfer device 1 of the firstembodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A feed speed-reduction gear 12 isprovided. The lower inner periphery of the feed speed-reduction gear 12contacts the feed shaft lower portion 2 a. The upper portion of the feedspeed reduction gear 12 projects in the axial direction. Anadvance/retreat portion 12A (shown by a bold line) is formed on theouter periphery of the projecting portion of the feed speed-reductiongear 12.

[0049] In the transfer device 1, the screw portion 6 c is formed on theinner periphery of the movable plate 6 so as to be screw-engaged withthe advance/retreat portion 12A of the above feed speed-reduction gear12. The feed drive gear 3 is inserted through the outer periphery of thefeed speed-reduction gear 12 and positioned above the feedspeed-reduction gear 12. Also, the lower shaft portion of the feed drivegear 3 contacts with the lower outer periphery of the feedspeed-reduction gear 12.

[0050] Additionally, the inner periphery of the axial projecting portionof the feed drive gear 3 is positioned away from the outer periphery ofthe axially extending portion of the feed speed-reduction gear 12 toform a space therebetween, into which space the screw portion 6 c of themovable plate 6 is inserted to bring screw-engagement between the screwportion 6 c and the advance/retreat portion 12A. Also, the innerperiphery of the axially projecting portion of the feed drive gear 3contacts the outer periphery of the screw portion 6 c of the movableplate 6. The outer periphery of the axially projecting portion of thefeed drive gear 3 contacts the inner periphery of the feed shaft unit 4.

[0051] A roll up speed-reduction gear 13 is coaxial with the roll upshaft 7 and formed integrally with the lower surface of the roll updrive gear 8 as viewed in FIG. 3(b). The roll up speed-reduction gear 13mates with the above feed speed-reduction gear 12.

[0052] More particularly, the feed speed-reduction gear 12 rotatesaround the feed shaft 2 in accordance with the rotation of the roll upspeed-reduction gear 13. The feed drive gear 3 rotates in accordancewith the rotation of the feed shaft unit 4 independently of the feedspeed-reduction gear 12. The roll up shaft unit 4 rotates while theband-shaped ribbon F is being supplied. The roll up drive gear 8 (theroll up shaft unit 9) and the roll up speed-reduction gear 13 rotate inaccordance with the rotation of the feed drive gear 3.

[0053] According to the transfer device 11 having the above structure,the feed shaft unit 4 and the feed drive gear 3 rotate when theband-shaped ribbon F is supplied during use. The rotation of the feeddrive gear 3 revolves the roll up drive gear 8. The rotation of the rollup drive gear 8 rotates the roll up speed-reduction gear 13 and the rollup shaft unit 9. The feed speed-reduction gear 12 mating with the rollup speed-reduction gear 13 also rotates. The rotation of the feedspeed-reduction gear 12 raises the movable plate 6, which screw-advancesand retreats, by means of the screw structure.

[0054] Furthermore, the braking force arising from the spring force ofthe coil spring 5 is applied to the feed drive gear 3. As mentionedabove, the braking force is gradually decreased during operation.

[0055] Thereafter, the transfer device 11 of the second embodimentprovides an effect similar to that of the first embodiment describedabove in a similar manner. In the transfer device 11 of the secondembodiment, the mechanism of the feed speed-reduction gear 12 and theroll up speed-reduction gear 13 slowly moves the movable plate 6 upwardby means of the screw structure in accordance with the rotation of thefeed drive gear 3. The braking force thus decreases more slowly,realizing smoother handling of the transfer device 11 compared with thetransfer device 1 of the first embodiment.

[0056] (Third Embodiment)

[0057] As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, transfer devices 21 and 31 havethe following structures according to claim 3 of the present invention.Explained first is the structure of the transfer device 21 only at thepoints different from those of the transfer device 11 of the secondembodiment as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In the transfer device 21, thefeed speed-reduction gear 12 and the roll up speed-reduction gear 13does not engage with each other, between which gears an intermediatespeed-reduction gear 14 is interposed.

[0058] The intermediate speed-reduction gear 14 consists of an uppermember 14 a having a smaller diameter and mating with the feedspeed-reduction gear 12, and a lower member 14 b having a largerdiameter and mating with the roll up speed-reduction gear 13. Theintermediate speed-reduction gear 14 integrally connects the uppermember 14 a and the lower member 14 b. The feed speed-reduction gear 12and the roll up speed-reduction gear 13 both have appropriate heightscapable of engaging with the upper member 14 a and the lower member 14 baccording to their axial heights, respectively.

[0059] In the transfer device 31, on the other hand, the feedspeed-reduction gear 12 and the roll up speed-reduction gear 13 does notengage with each other, between which gears intermediate speed-reductiongears 15 and 16 are provided. The intermediate speed-reduction gear 15is composed of an upper member 15 a having a larger diameter and matingwith the roll up speed-reduction gear 13, and a lower member 15 b havinga smaller diameter. The intermediate speed-reduction gear 16 is composedof an upper member 16 a having a smaller diameter mating with the feedspeed-reduction gear 12, and a lower member 16 b having a largerdiameter and mating with the lower member 15 b of the intermediatespeed-reduction gear 15.

[0060] The intermediate speed-reduction gears 15 and 16 engage with theupper members 15 a and 16 a as well as the lower members 15 b and 16 b,respectively. The feed speed-reduction gear 12 and the roll upspeed-reduction gear 13 have appropriate heights capable of mating withthe upper members 15 a and 16 a and the lower members 15 b and 16 b ofthe intermediate speed-reduction gears 15 and 16 according to theiraxial heights, respectively.

[0061] According to the structures shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the brakingforce can be reduced more slowly than that in the second embodiment asshown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The traveling is thus smoother while keeping thetension of the band-shaped ribbon F constant compared with that in thesecond embodiment described above.

[0062] Hereinafter described are experiments carried out for checkingthe effect of the present invention.

[0063] In the experiments, compared were the transfer device 21 of thethird embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 (hereinafter referred to as“embodiment”) under the conditions below and a comparison example havingdifferent structures except for the construction of the drive gears andthe speed-reduction gears which is the same as that of the transferdevice 21.

[0064] Both of the embodiment and the comparison example have thefollowing gear structure. The reference numerals of the transfer device21 in FIG. 5 are used to specify each of the gears. The feed drive gear3 has 60 teeth; the feed speed-reduction gear 12 has 70 teeth; the rollup drive gear 8 has 32 teeth; the roll up speed-reduction gear 13 has 7teeth; the upper member 14 a of the intermediate speed reduction gear 14has 7 teeth; and the lower member 14 b of the intermediatespeed-reduction gear 14 has 50 teeth.

[0065] Under these conditions, the tension of the band-shaped ribbon Fwas measured at the start and the end of operation for three transferdevices each for the embodiment and the comparison example, the resultsof which are shown in Table 1. The roll diameter of the feed shaft unit4 of both the embodiment and the comparison example is 28.7 mm at thestart, and 17.0 mm at the end. TABLE 1 Embodiment Comparison ExampleStart End Start End 1 80-100 gf 80-100 gf 80-100 gf 170-180 gf 2 90-110gf 80-100 gf 80-100 gf 150-170 gf 3 90-100 gf 90-100 gf 80-110 gf170-180 gf

[0066] As shown in the table, the range of fluctuation in the tension ofthe band-shaped ribbon F from the start till the end of use was smallerin the transfer device of the embodiment than in the comparison example,providing stable handling of the transfer device.

[0067] Furthermore, the present invention may be modified as illustratedin FIGS. 7 and 8. These figures show transfer devices in which theadvance/retreat portion 3A of the structure according to the firstembodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is modified. Explained below are onlythe points in the structure in FIGS. 7 and 8 which are different fromthe structure of the first embodiment. The advance/retreat portion 3A isnot screw-shaped, but only a space into which the feed shaft 2 isinserted. Thus, the inner periphery of the upward extending portion ofthe feed drive gear 3 is not screw-shaped.

[0068] An engagement portion 2A is formed at the upper end of the feedshaft upper portion 2 b of the feed shaft 2. A moving plate 19 isoverlaid on the upper surface of the movable plate 6. The moving plate19 is supported rotatably and movably upward and downward by the support19 a provided within the casing 1A. The moving plate 19 also has a rack19A formed at the end opposite to the side supported by the support 19a. The rack 19A mates with an upper member 18 a described later.

[0069] Furthermore, the moving plate 19 is provided with an opening, onthe upper surface around which a slope 19B is mounted. The engagementportion 2A of the feed shaft upper portion 2 b inserted through theabove opening is engaged with the slope upper end surface of the slope19B to be movable on the slope upper end surface.

[0070] Intermediate speed-reduction gears 17 and 18 are equipped withinthe casing 1A. A lower member 17 b of the intermediate speed-reductiongear 17 mates with the roll up drive gear 8. An upper member 17 a of theintermediate speed-reduction gear 17 mates with a lower member 18 b ofthe intermediate speed-reduction gear 18. The upper member 18 a of theintermediate speed-reduction gear 18 mates with the above-mentioned rack19A of the moving plate 19.

[0071] In the above construction, the moving plate 19 is positioned suchthat the engagement portion 2A is located on the higher area of theslope 19B in the initial operation period as illustrated in FIG. 8(a).Under this condition, the movable plate 6 is pressed downward throughthe moving plate 19, and the coil spring 5 is thus compressed by meansof the pressing portion 6 b. Accordingly, a large braking force isapplied to the feed drive gear 3.

[0072] During operation, the feed drive gear 3, the roll up drive gear8, the intermediate speed-reduction gear 17 and the intermediatespeed-reduction gear 18 rotate in this order. The rack 19A is moved inaccordance with the rotation of the upper member 18 a of theintermediate speed-reduction gear 18 and thus the moving plate 19 ismoved every time the transfer device is operated. The movement of theslope 19B in accordance with the movement of the moving plate 19 allowsthe engagement portion 2A to move toward the lower area of the slope 19Bwhich expand the compressed spring coil 5, moving the movable plate 6upward by its spring force. Consequently, the braking force applied tothe feed drive gear 3 is gradually lowered, providing operational effectsimilar to that in the above first embodiment.

[0073] Additionally, other modifications may be given to the presentinvention. For example, up to two intermediate speed-reduction gears areequipped in the above embodiments, but more such gears may be employed.Also, the screw-engagement structure between the screw portion 6 c ofthe movable plate 6 and the advance/retreat portion 3A or 12A of thefeed drive gear 3 or the feed speed-reduction gear 12, respectively, maybe formed either on the inner or outer periphery of the screw portion 6c of the movable plate 6.

[0074] Furthermore, the insertion position of the coil spring 5 is notspecified in particular if the spring 5 is disposed between the pressingportion 6 b of the movable plate 6 and the surface of the feed drivegear 3 to apply its force therebetween. Also, the positional upper-lowerrelationship between the feed drive gear 3 and the feed speed-reductiongear 12 is not particularly limited to that as illustrated in FIGS. 3(b)and 4. In these modified examples, operational effect similar to that inthe above-described embodiments can be obtained.

Industrial Applicability

[0075] As aforementioned, in the transfer device of the presentinvention the braking force at the beginning of operation graduallydecreases as the transfer device is operated. Therefore, the tension ofthe band-shaped ribbon from the start till the end of operation can bekept equal to the tension at the start, maintaining constant travelingand maneuverability.

[0076] Moreover, the transfer device of the present invention isprovided with the feed speed-reduction gear and the roll upspeed-reduction gear in addition to the above-described structure. Thesegears allow the braking force to be reduced more slowly as well as theabove operational effect, which provides stable manipulation all thetime.

[0077] Additionally, the transfer device of the present inventionincluding the intermediate speed-reduction gear interposed between thefeed speed-reduction gear and the roll up speed-reduction gear to matewith both gears can be more stably operated compared with the abovetransfer devices.

1. A transfer device, provided with a feed shaft formed within a casingfor supporting a feed shaft unit around which band-shaped ribbon coatedwith a coating film is wound and a feed drive gear, and a roll up shaftformed within said casing for supporting a roll up shaft unit aroundwhich said band-shaped ribbon after transferring said coating film ontoa transfer-receiving object is wound and a roll up drive gear matingwith said feed drive gear, characterized by comprising anadvance/retreat portion formed in an axially extending portion of saidfeed shaft unit or said feed drive gear which are rotated while saidband-shaped ribbon is being supplied, a movable plate provided coaxiallywith said advance/retreat portion for advancing and retreating in theaxial direction of said feed shaft in accordance with the rotation ofsaid feed shaft, and a spring disposed within a space between saidmovable plate and a surface of said feed drive gear for providing aspring force to enlarge said space in the axial direction.
 2. A transferdevice as claimed in claim 1, comprising a roll up speed-reduction gearcoaxial with said roll up shaft and integral with said roll up drivegear and a feed speed-reduction gear coaxial with said feed shaft andoverlapped with said feed drive gear, and characterized in that saidadvance/retreat portion is defined within an axially extending portionof any of said feed shaft unit, said feed drive gear and said feedspeed-reduction gear.
 3. A transfer device as claimed in claim 2,characterized in that an intermediate speed-reduction gear is interposedbetween said feed speed-reduction gear and said roll up speed-reductiongear to mate with both gears.